2015 Tribal Conference

The Department of Justice and the FBI Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) Division will be hosting the 2015 DOJ/CJIS Tribal Conference in conjunction with the CJIS Advisory Policy Board Working Groups at the Hyatt Regency, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on August 19, 2015.

The objective of the 2015 DOJ/CJIS Tribal Conference is to improve understanding of the scope of issues surrounding tribal law enforcement agencies’ access to the CJIS Division systems. The conference will include topics related to the following CJIS Division programs:

National Crime Information Center (NCIC)

Next Generation Identification (NGI)

National Data Exchange (N-DEx)

National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS)

Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR)

Law Enforcement Enterprise Portal (LEEP)

Also topics from the FBI Criminal Investigative Division’s Indian Country Crimes Unit and the Justice Department’s Office of the Chief Information Officer will be provided.

In addition, the FBI will host workshops to discuss issues important to the tribal law enforcement community that pertain to the CJIS Division program.

ENHANCED SENTENCING IN TRIBAL COURTS: LESSONS LEARNED FROM TRIBES

The Bureau of Justice Assistance, in partnership with the American Probation and Parole Association, the National Tribal Judicial Center, and the Tribal Judicial Institute, announces the release of “Enhanced Sentencing in Tribal Courts: Lessons Learned From Tribes.” This publication provides a brief overview, not a comprehensive review, of the changes under the Tribal Law & Order Act (TLOA) of 2010 (Public Law 111–211, H.R. 725, 124 Stat. 2258, enacted July 29, 2010) regarding enhanced sentencing authority, offers considerations for correctional/detention and community corrections programming related to enhanced sentences, and provides tribes with a checklist to help guide discussions around implementation of enhanced sentencing authority. Additionally, this publication explores the adoption of TLOA’s enhanced sentencing authority through interviews with several tribal court judges and personnel who have been intricately involved in establishing the provisions required to convey enhanced sentences. Finally, this publication provides information on financial resources to fund enhanced sentencing authority implementation.

DOJ Statement of Principles

On December 3, 2014, at the White House Tribal Nations Conference, Attorney General Eric Holder announced that the Department of Justice has adopted a Statement of Principles to guide and inform all of the Department's interactions with federally recognized Indian tribes. Developed in consultation with the leaders of all 566 tribes, this Statement of Principles will memorialize the Department's determination to serve as a partner in fighting crime and enforcing the law in Indian country. As Attorney General Holder said in his remarks to tribal leaders, the Statement of Principles, “was meant to codify our intention to serve not as a patron, but as a partner, in Indian country – and to institutionalize our efforts to reinforce relationships, reform the criminal justice system, and aggressively protect civil rights and treaty rights. And it will serve as a guide for this Administration – and every Administration – as we seek to build the more perfect Union, and the more just society, that every individual deserves."

Policy Statement Regarding Marijuana Issues in Indian Country

On October 28, 2014, the Department of Justice issued a Policy Statement Regarding Marijuana Issues in Indian Country, to all United States Attorneys. With a number of states legalizing marijuana for use and production, some tribes have requested guidance on the enforcement of the Controlled Substance Act (CSA) on tribal lands by the United States Attorneys’ offices. With these requests in mind, the Attorney General’s Native American Issues Subcommittee has reviewed the Memorandum from the Deputy Attorney General, dated August 29, 2013, regarding marijuana enforcement (“Cole Memorandum”) and considered its impact on Indian Country. Indian Country includes numerous reservations and tribal lands with diverse sovereign governments, many of which traverse state borders and federal districts. Given this, the United States Attorneys recognize that effective federal law enforcement in Indian Country, including marijuana enforcement, requires consultation with our tribal partners in the districts and flexibility to confront the particular, yet sometimes divergent, public safety issues that can exist on any single reservation.

Accomplishments

In June 2009, Attorney General Eric Holder launched a Department-wide initiative to enhance public safety in Indian County. Significant progress has been made since then. This document offers highlights of the Department's progress in the following areas: enhanced prosecution and training efforts; implementation of the Tribal Law and Order Act of 2010 (TLOA); grant opportunities; general litigation; civil rights; and outreach and consultation.